Lightweight Al Iaquinta wants to use his UFC 243 clash with Kiwi Dan Hooker as a springboard to title contention and - more specifically - a rematch with champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.
In April last year, Iaquinta answered an SOS from the promotion, after Tony Ferguson's last-minute injury withdrawal from his main event match-up with Nurmgomedov at UFC 223. He ultimately fell to a unanimous decision loss - albeit on just six days' notice.
The Russian marauder has since established himself as a household name in the world of combat, putting his name in lights with a demolition of Irish superstar Conor McGregor on one of the most-watched events in UFC history, and generally just dominating all and sundry.
Still the only UFC fighter to win a round against 'The Eagle' and make him look remotely fallible, Iaquinta admits watching Nurmagomedov's rise to 'GOAT' contention has been a frustrating experience, as he imagines what might have been with a full fight camp under his belt.
"I hope he keeps winning," Iaquinta told Newshub. "And I hope he's there when I get back there, because I'm coming.
"And when I get time to prepare, it's gonna be a different story. I wasn't training like I am now, back then.
"Injuries, contract nonsense, I was selling real estate, and then I jump straight into a fight with Khabib and you saw how it went.
"He's tough, he's very, very tough, but I think he can be beat and I'm the one to do it."
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That journey begins against Hooker in the co-main event to Adesanya v Whittaker on Sunday, as Iaquinta attempts to bounce back from his loss to Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone in May. He'll have his work cut out for him against the ever-threatening Aucklander, who's brimming with confidence, after his first-round stoppage of James Vick in July.
Hooker's momentum aside, the sixth-ranked Iaquinta is risking plenty by accepting a fight against the division's No.15 fighter, especially one as partial to putting opponents to sleep as 'The Hangman'.
But the prospect of fighting on an historic UFC card was too good to turn down for Iaquinta. Not to mention, he isn't the sort to back down from a challenge.
"He called me out and said he wanted to fight me, and said he wanted to fight me in Australia and it's a great place in the world to fight.
"Marvel Stadium is a huge stadium - it's going to be the most attended event in UFC history. It's a monumental event, it's a great fight and to be the co-main event on such a spectacular card really is an honour."
The New York native is no stranger to a knockout himself, winning half of his 14 fights inside the distance, and believes he has some clear paths to victory against Hooker.
"His defence is good, but at times he gets hit and I think that's really where I'm going to exploit him.
"He gets a little careless at times. He's got a good chin, but I'm more accurate and faster than anyone he's fought.
"He's got a lot of dangerous parts of his game, but I think this is my fight to go out there and show how good I am."
And there's one area the 32-year-old is adamant he has an indisputable advantage.
"I'm just a better competitor. I've been competing in athletics since I was a little kid and I've probably had thousands more competitions than him in my lifetime."
It's a bold claim to make against someone with Hooker's fiery intensity and Octagon-tested durability.
"Everything aside, I'm a competitor, he's more of a fighter. I'm almost positive that I do [have a mental edge]."
Unfazed by a likely partisan crowd of 60,000 in the Kiwi's favour - "I think there's going to be a lot of people backing me as well" - Iaquinta envisions nothing but victory.
"I see it playing out a million different ways, but no matter how it happens, I see myself getting my hand raised.
"I'm a contained wildman, about to be unleashed."
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